Coachella begins groundwater recharge; New facility can recharge Valley’s aquifer with up to 40,000 acre-feet annually

From the California Farmer:

The same amount of water used by approximately 40,000 desert households each year will be pumped back into the ground over the next 12 months thanks to a new project by the Coachella Valley Water District.

CVWD recently began replenishing groundwater in the east valley at its newest recharge facility in south La Quinta. The new facility can recharge the Coachella Valley’s aquifer with up to 40,000 acre-feet of water annually. One acre-foot is 325,851 gallons. “With this latest project, CVWD responds to the statewide water crisis and takes another step towards protecting our local water resources,” says General Manager-Chief Engineer Steve Robbins.

Every year, the Coachella Valley uses almost 400,000 acre-feet of groundwater, but on average only 63,000 acre-feet is replenished naturally through rain or snow melt. Over time excess pumping depletes the aquifer, threatens water supplies to the local population and compromises future growth in the valley.

To replenish groundwater, the new facility uses Colorado River water delivered to the valley via the Coachella Canal, across 120 miles to Lake Cahuilla in La Quinta. The water then travels along existing irrigation pipes, is pumped into 39 recharge basins and left to percolate into the ground.

Read more from California Farmer by clicking here.

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